One Saturday morning, my friend Tom and I were having breakfast in a restaurant. A man with no legs and in a wheelchair rolled by our table.
“Tom, do you think he was born that way?” I leaned toward my friend and asked.
“I don’t think so. I believe the man used to work for EOD,” Tom whispered back.
“What is EOD?” I inquired.
“EOD stands for Explosive Ordinance Demolition,” Tom told me.
“The team members blow up bombs for a living. They are paid to walk through former war zones to search for live mines and discarded grenades in order to disable or deactivate them,” Tom explained.
“They walk on treacherous trails through explosive territories. Some live mines and grenades are obscured by dirt, sand or grass.”
“The team members are in constant threat of losing their lives or their limbs, like that guy,” Tom said.
“Wow! That is a dangerous job,” I said.
Tom had a firsthand knowledge of EOD. He was a member of an Army EOD when he was deployed in Vietnam.
Team members walk through minefields they did not create.
We are like members of an EOD team. We walk through the minefield of life – a field we did not create.
We did not create many of the struggles we face every day, but we have to live with them.
We did not create alcohol, but we are potential victims of drunk drivers.
We did not create international tensions, but we live in fear of terrorists.
We did not create thieves, but we are potential victims of their sinful activities.
If you live near a shooting range, you may get hit by a bullet.
If you live in a war zone, a bomb may land in your backyard.
If you walk through a minefield, you may lose your life.
If you live in a world darkened by sin, you may become a victim of sin.
Jesus is honest about the life He called us to live. He does not guarantee that because we belong to Him, we will live a life untouched by evil.
Scripture does not say that if you follow a king, you will be exempt from battle. Often, the opposite is the case.
So how can we survive the battle? How can we endure?
Jesus gives three assurances – three absolutes.
Jesus, knowing the world the Apostles were about to enter, looked into their eyes as He gave them three assurances
that would keep them on the right track if they continued following His example.
The first assurance: Jesus assured them that they would be victorious. “If you keep your faith till the end, you will be saved,” (Matthew 24:13), Jesus told them.
Jesus did not say, “If you succeed, you will be saved” or “If you come out on top, you will be saved.”
This is in effect what Jesus said: “If you endure, you will be saved” or “If you hang on till the end, you will be saved” or “If you go the distance, you will be saved.”
Jesus is telling us what He told his first disciples. He is telling us to stay in the race and He will make sure that we get home.
The second assurance: Jesus assured the Apostles that the mission to preach the Gospel, even to the ends of the earth, would be accomplished, that the good news about the kingdom of God would be preached in all the world.
Jesus’ statement was daring. No one would have wagered that this small group of fishermen and laborers could accomplish what Jesus commissioned them to do.
They had no college degrees. They had no money. They had heavy accents.
Nobody would have believed that this stammering and stuttering small group of people could change history. But they did in 50 days after Jesus told them what they were going to accomplish.
On the Jewish feat of Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover, Jews were in Jerusalem from every nation where Jews lived. Peter stood up and told them about Jesus (Acts 2:14).
In a sense, when Peter preached, the Good News had been heard, even to the ends of the earth.
The third assurance: Jesus told his Apostles that the end would come, that the Lord would come down from heaven and give a loud command. (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
What would be the command?
It would be an inaugural word, an audible message from God, words that would close an old era and open a new one.
It would be a command that ends all suffering and pain, and initiates the joy of heaven.
Jesus, the king of kings, will raise His pierced hands and will proclaim, “No more!”
Every person who lives then and whoever lived in the past will turn to the sky and hear Him proclaim, “No more!”
No more loneliness! No more tears! No more death! No more sickness! No more crying! No more pain!
The end will come.
For all who live for this world, that’s bad news.
But for those who live for the world to come, it is an encouraging promise.
In this world, you will have trouble.
Next time you feel that you are drowning with troubles, remember Jesus’ words of assurance.
Those who will endure will be saved, the Gospel will be preached and the end will come. You can count on it!